DAVIS, JAMES (OWEN HALL):

English playwright and journalist; born about 1848. He was educated at University College, London, and took the degree of bachelor of laws in 1869. After devoting some years to the practise of law as a solicitor (1874-86), he abandoned it in favor of journalism. He was editor and proprietor of a society paper, "The Bat" (1885-87), and assistant editor of Galignani's "Messenger" in Paris (1888-90). For atime Davis interested himself in politics, contesting Dundalk in the Conservative interest at the election of 1890. He is the author of several comic operas which have had an enormous success, among them being "A Gaiety Girl," "An Artist's Model," "The Geisha," "A Greek Slave," and "Florodora." Since 1899 he has edited a weekly paper, "The Phænix."